Retractable barb device



y 1952 T. F. DANN I 2,598,230

RETRACTABLE BARB DEVICE Filed D90. 14, 1948 N I lynx 10R. dfieoafare a. 3mm

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j/l'orzzey Patented May 27, 1952 UNITED STATES .FA'EENT OFFICE RETRACTABLE BARB DEVICE Theodore F. Darin, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application December 14, 1948, Serial No. 65,222

9 Qlaims. 1

This invention relates generally to barbs for use with a gaff, large hook, spear or the like and more particularly to an improved barb re tractable into the body of the weapon.

In combination with a gaff, spear, fish hook or the like it is desirable to provide a barb to preelude easy removal from the target and thus reduce the possibility of escape of the fish or ani-- mal. The use of such barb however has the disadvantage of making it difiicult to remove the weapon from the target and usually to effect removal it is necessary to damagethe flesh in the area where the weapon has penetrated.

It is therefore a general object of this invention to provide an improved barb, which will effectively preclude accidental removal of the weapon from the target but will permit easy removal when desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved retractable barb for a gaff or the like.

Another object is to provide an improved barb which will not interfere with penetration of the target but will effectively resist accidental removal of the weapon after the target has been penetrated.

Another object is to provide an improved re tractable barb operable by a rotatable penetrating point which will prevent the penetrating point from rotating beyond the amount necessary for operating the barb.

Another object is to provide an improved re tractable barb of very simple and inexpensive construction.

According to this invention a gaff or the like is provided with a barb retractable into the body of the gaff. The barb is pivotable into or out of a slot formed in the body of the gaff and is provided with a shoulder at its blunt end beyond the pivot point. The penetrating point of the gaff is rotatable and has a cam surface formed at its blunt end arranged to engage the shoulder of the barb. When the penetrating point is rotated in one direction the cam surface acts to force the shoulder away from the body of the penetrating point and pivot the barb into the slot to render it inefiective. When the penetrating point is rotated in the opposite direction it permits the shoulder to move inward toward the body of the penetrating point and the barb is forced out of the slot by a spring which is located to continually urge the barb out of the slot. The spring also serves to retain the shoulder in constant engagement with the cam surface except when external forces are exerted to move the barb into the slot against the spring pressure.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention which will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description, may be achieved through embodiment of the invention in an apparatus such as the exemplifying device depicted in and herein described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a gaff exemplifying a device of the type in which the present invention may be incorporated showing the barb in its open position;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the hook portion of the gaff illustrating the barb retracted into the body of the gaff;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view illustrating the end of the hook portion of the gaff, broken away to show the barb assembly and the slot into which it recedes with a portion of the penetrating point shown in phantom assembled to the hook;

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the penetrating point shown in Figs. 1 and 2 assembled to the gaff; and

Figure 5 is a view in vertical section taken along the plane represented by the line 5-5 in Fig. 3 with the penetrating point turned clockwise to partially pivot the barb toward its retracted position.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings and specifically to Fig. 1 thereof wherein the invention is shown as embodied in a gaff. The gaff is comprised of a shank Ill, having a handle ll attached at one end for grasping the gaff, and a hook or body l2 secured to the other end. A finger hook I3 is provided at the base of the handle II to facilitate manipulation of the gaff and prevent its slipping out of the hand. The hook or body [2 and shank Ill are joined by means of a knurled coupling I 4 which is rigidly secured to the hook l2 and has threaded ena penetrating point it.

gagement with a male thread l5 formed on the end of the shank ID. The use of the knurled coupling I4 permits the gaff to be disassembled for convenience in transporting and also allows the hook to be used with different length shanks when such an arrangement is desired.

As illustrated in Fig. 3 a threaded projection i6 is provided at the end of the hook I2 f0r engagement with a female thread I! formed in The penetrating point 48 is threaded .onto the threaded projection It to extend from the end of the hook I 21 as depicted in phantom in Fig. 3, and form the end of the gaif. A portion of the penetrating point I8 is cut away at its threaded end as shown in Fig. 4 to form a cam surface IS.

The end of the hook I2 is provided with a slot 20 for receiving a barb 2| pivotable on a pin 22 into and out of the slot 20, the pin 22 being secured to the hook I2, extending transversely through the slot 26. The barb 2| is continually urged out of the slot 29 by a spring 23, one end of which is seated in an opening 24 formed at the bottom of the slot 20 while the other end bears against the underside of the barb 2|. Extending rearwardly from the pivot point of the barb 2| is a shoulder 25 arranged to contact the cam l9 which functions to control the position of the barb 2| in relation to the slot 20. i

With the penetrating point t8 assembled to the hook |2 by engagement with the threaded projection l6 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the cam I9 is proximate the bark 2| so that the shoulder 25 rests directly upon the surface of the cam |9. The spring 23 serves to force the bark 2| out of the slot 29 and retain the shoulder 25 in constant engagement with the surface of the cam |9 except when external forces are applied a to force the barb 2| from the open position shown in Fig. 1 into the slot 20. The contour of the cam l9 best shown in Fig. 4 is such'that when one end is in contact with the shoulder 25, the shoulder recedes into the body of the penetrating point I8 permitting the point of the barb 2| to swing outwardly of the slot 20 to assume the position illustrated in Fig. 1. When the penetrating point [8 is turned in a clockwise direction from the position depicted in Fig.

1 the cam I9 turns with it and progressively forces the shoulder 25 outward from the penetrating point l8 causing the point of the barb 2| toswing toward the slot 2|] until it has fully receded into the slot as shown in Fig. 2. De-

pressing the point of the barb 2| into the slot 20 precludes its interference with removal of the penetrating point [8 from a target.

To illustrate the operation of the present invention it will be assumed that the gaff is to be H employed in capturing a fish. At the outset the cam 19 is positioned to permit the barb 2| to extend from the slot 20 as shown in Fig. 1. The point I8 is driven into the fish and the pressure exerted upon the barb 2| as the hook entersthe fish will force it towards the slot to permit free passage of the point [8 and the hook I2 into the target. The pressure of the spring 24 issufiicient however to raise the barb 2| a, slight amount even when imbedded in the fish to, resist removal of the gaff. As the force used to .remove the gaff from the fish is increased it serves to move the barb 2| farther away from the slot so that it in turn offers greater resistance to removal. Upon removing the fish from the water the gaff is forced into the fish until the penetrating point l8 extends out of its body. The point I8 is then turned in a clockwise direction to put the cam I9 into operation and retract the barb 2| into the slot 20 permitting easy removal of the gaff from the fish without tearing or marring its body.

In addition to operating with the cam I9 as described, the shoulder 25 functions as a lock to prevent the penetrating point Hi from accidentally turning off of the threaded projection l6. At the end of the cam H! the penetrating point I8 is provided with an abutment surface 26 arranged to strike the shoulder 25 of the barb 2| after the penetrating point l8 has turned counterclockwise suificiently to obtain full operation of the cam l9. Thus sufiicient rotation of the penetrating point i8 is permitted to operate the cam l9 but further movement is precluded to insure against loss of the point. If for any reason it is desired to remove the penetrating point l8 from the threaded projection t6 the barb 2| may be manually depressed into the slot 28 to pivot the shoulder 25 out of the path of the abutment surface 25 and the penetrating point l8 may then be easily disengaged.

From the foregoing detailed description of a practical working embodiment of the invention, it is apparent that there has been provided a useful and convenient retractable barb applicable to a gaff, spear, large fish hook or the like. Although but a single embodiment of the invention has been set forth in considerable detail to constitute a full disclosure, it is to be understood that persons skilled in the art may utilize-the novel principles here taught in apparatus differing in construction from the particular device herein described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the "subjoined claims.

The principles of the invention having now been fully explained in connection with the foregoing description of embodying structure, I hereby claim as my invention:

1. In a gaff, a shank, a hook formed at the end of said shank and having a slot at its end, an element having a penetrating point forming the end of said hook and adapted to be rotatable axially of itself, a barb pivotally supported in the slot to permit movement of a part of the barb in or out of said slot, a spring mounted to urge said barb outwardly from said slot, said element having a cam surface, and a shoulder formed at the end of said'barb to engage said cam surface, whereby as said element is rotated in one direction, said cam surface acts to force said barb part into said slot against the pressure of said spring and permits the barb part to move out of said slot when rotated in the other direction.

2. In a gaff, a shank, a hook attached at one end to one end of said shank and having a slot located longitudinally in its free outer end, a threaded projection extending from the slotted end of said hook, an element having a penetrating point at one end and its opposite end blunt, said blunt end being in threaded engagement with said threaded projection, a barb pivotally mounted in the slot to permit movement of a part of the barb in and out of said slot and having one end blunt, a shoulder formed in the blunt end of said barb, said element having a cam surface formed in its blunt end, said cam surface being constructed and arranged to engage said shoulder and thereby actuate said barb part into said slot as said element is rotated in one direction, a spring disposed to engage said barb to retain said shoulder in constant engagement with said cam surface and to yieldably urge said barb part out of said slot, and an abutment surface formed in the blunt end of said element at the end of said cam' ',.forced into said slot against the pressure of said spring to raise said shoulder out of engagement with said abutment surface.

3. In a gaff, a shank, a hook extending from one end of said shank and having a slot formed longitudinally in its end, an element having a, penetrating point at one end and its opposite end blunt, said element extending from the slotted end of said hook and having an internal thread in its blunt end, a threaded projection formed at the free end of said hook to engage the internal thread of said element, a barb pivotally mounted in said slot to permit movement of a part of the barb in and out of said slot and having one end blunt, a spring mounted in said hook and engaging said barb to continually urge it out of said slot, a shoulder formed on the blunt end of said barb, said element having a cam surface formed in its blunt end disposed to engage said shoulder and pivot said barb part into said slot against the pressure of said spring when said element is rotated in one direction, and permit the barb part to move out of said slot when said element is rotated in the opposite direction.

4. In a gaff, a shank, a hook secured at one end to one end of said shank and having a slot formed longitudinally in its opposite end, an element having a penetrating point extending from the slotted end of said hook and adapted to be rotatable axially of itself, a barb pivotally mounted in the slot to permit movement of a part of the barb in and out of said slot and having one end blunt, a shoulder formed on the blunt end of said barb, said element having a cam surface disposed to engage said shoulder, and a spring mounted to urge said barb part out of said slot and retain said shoulder in constant engagement with said cam surface, whereby the rotative position of said cam surface controls the extent to which said spring can force said barb part out of said slot but does not interfere with external forces from moving said barb part into said slot.

5. In a device of the class described, a main body having a slot at one end, an element having a point extending from the end of said main body and adapted to be rotatable axially of itself, a barb mounted on said body to be recedable into said slot and having one end blunt, a spring mounted to urge said barb outwardly from said slot, a shoulder formed on the blunt end of said barb, said element having a cam surface disposed to engage said shoulder and force said barb into said slot against the pressure of said spring when rotated in one direction.

6. In a device of the class described, a body having a slot formed at one end, a barb pivotally supported in the slot to permit movement of a part of the barb in and out of said slot and having one end blunt, a shoulder formed on the blunt end of said barb, an element having a penetrating point extending from said body and adapted to be rotatable axially of itself, said element having a cam surface disposed to engage said shoulder and acting to retain said barb part in said slot when said element is rotated in one direction, but permitting the barb part to pivot into or out of said slot when said element is rotated in the opposite direction.

7. In a device of the class described, a body having a slot formed longitudinally in one end, an element having a penetrating point extending from the slotted end of said bodyland adapted to be rotatable axially of itself, a barb pivotally mounted in the slot to permit movement of a part of the barb in or out of said slot, said element having a cam surface arranged to rotate with it and thereby regulate the extent to which said barb part may pivot out of said slot, and a spring mounted to force said barb part out of said slot to the extent determined by the position of said cam surface.

8. In a device of the class described, a body having a slot formed axially in one end, an element having a penetrating point extending from the slotted end of said body and adapted to be rotatable axially of itself, and a barb pivotally mounted Tan said body to permit a part of the barb to recede into said slot, said element having a cam surface arranged to rotate therewith to thereby control the extent to which said barb part may extend from said body.

9. In a device of the class described, a body, an element mounted on said body and having a penetrating point extending from one end of said body and rotatable axially of itself, and a barb pivotally mounted on said body to permit a part of the barb to recede into said body, said element having a portion forming a cam rotatable therewith to thereby control the extent to which said barb part may extend from said body.

THEODORE F. DANN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,302,457 Ureck Apr. 29, 1919 1,344,693 Hinsdale June 29, 1920 2,118,147 Blodgett et a1 May 24, 1938 

